Tide Turns Against Extreme Global Warming Hysteria?

Now with working video

Global Warming has been in the news alot lately. Al Gore's opus has won two Oscars, given screen time at all of Scotland's secondary schools, and has raised public awareness about climate change. For a time it seemed that the Gore-version of global warming was set to dominate.

Things seem to be changing. First it was revealed that the Gores use thirty more times the power than the average family. His carbon-offsets which he used to justify his world travel are actually stock in a company he partially owns (which promises to invest them in carbon offshoots but still...). Now the New York Times has written article which attacks Gore's extremist view on global warming. This follows up an opinion from ABC by the former editor of the Journal of Biogeography which discusses extremism in global cooling/warming debates.

Climate change is an issue which should be discussed and dealt with (but remember, the IPCC says we cannot stop global warming). The problem is that some have overblown the threat too far and made it a religion, in the words of the Czech President. When people realize the flaws in Gore's argument they will feel betrayed. They will then doubt any claim on global warming or climate change. There are risks with climate change which must be weighed and considered for the good of globalized world and humanity in general. Crying wolf only hurts protecting the environment.

There are many good people on all sides of the climate change debate who want only what is best. However, some are using the threat of environmental disaster to create a "new world order," curb the power of sovereign states, or expand radical Islam. Those who oppose the dogma/political aims are shunned, accused of working for the oil companies, or in rare cases threatened by nut jobs.

Keep discussion on these issues alive. Climate change could be a minor inconvenience or it could be a great threat no matter what is causing it. To listen to the likes of Al Gore who do believe should not have equal time or even given credence to by the press would potentially lead to disaster. If the breaks of the world's economies need to be slammed we better know for sure that it is necessary before we hurt ourselves and those who rely on our aide.

Below is "The Great Global Warming Swindle" It is one side of the debate. Listen to all sides but remember to be logical and rational with everything you hear.

GIS Lounge: Your GIS one-stop shop

Caitlin Dempsey, a reader of GTWC! and former editor of GIS@About.com, has guided to GIS Lounge.

GIS Lounge is the second coming the old About.com site. Plenty of information is available including information about what GIS is, links to job listings, industry news, fun things to do with GIS, and much more. Check it out today!

Geography and Film: 300

300 is based on a graphic novel which in turn is based on the Battle of Thermopylae. I would rate the movie about 4.5 out of 5 praising it for its battle scenes and artistic style but wondering if all the nudity in the first part was necessary.

For those interested in the actual battle and how it compares to the movie Victor David Hanson has the knowledgeable information.

SPOILERS AHEAD

The geography of the film is fantastic in that it is both great and preternatural. Greece is depicted as a land of muscular men, strong and beautiful women, and picturesque lands. The Persian Empire on the other hand is a cosmopolitan mixture of everything that is morally wrong. War elephants and war rhinos are fierce beats, the Persian Immortals and other elite troops of Xerxes are physically corrupted humans. Not since the days of religious plays have the inner strengths and weaknesses been shown as physical qualities in such a dramatic way.

Another aspect in the film is politics. While the film makers deny political bias it is clear the beliefs of Frank Miller have played a role. Queen Gorgo makes the case for the war while the oracle priests (the United Nations) are swayed by bribes and Spartan politicans feel this is not their war (anti-Iraq War Democrats). "Freedom is not free," says the queen to the council. Elsewhere in the movie the Spartan king turns down offers of an "exchange of cultures" and personal honors which would be exchanged for surrender of rights and freedoms. At the end of the movie a soldier named Dilios tells the united Greek at army that this is war against "mysticism and tyranny." Sound familiar?

SPOILERS END

In case you need any more reason to see the film check out the trailer below. PREPARE FOR GLORY!

Abu Omar al-Baghdadi Captured!

UPDATE: It is not Abu Omar al-Baghdadi but another "big fish"

Abu Omar al-Baghdadi has been captured. He was the head of the Islamic State of Iraq, the al Qaeda founded group which has been promised the loyalty of al Qaeda in Iraq by Abu Ayyub al-Masri. At least nominally, al-Baghdadi was the highest ranking al Qaeda member in Iraq. He first entered Iraq in 2002 to setup terrorist training camps before the Coalition invasion in March 2003.

This is the second leader al Qaeda in Iraq has lost.

This is great news. The surge, at least in the short run, is working. Al Sadr has fled to Iran and now his militias are fractured and allowing Coalition troops to enter Sadr City. Terrorist attacks are down by a whopping eighty percent! To win the Iraqi and American armies must continue to run down targets and allow them no safe havens like Fallujah and Sadr City once were.

The news also has a sign of change. Unconfirmed reports that have reached Catholicgauze say the raid which captured al-Baghdadi was done by the Iraqi Army and not American forces. Go get them guys!

The Future for GIS

This blog post could have started with "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times for Geography," but that is too close to plagiarism for comfort.

Geographic Information System is probably the most useful tool for geographers to come onto the scene since the computer. GIS allows geographers to manipulate data, define searches, and study spatial relationships with relative ease. It is such a powerful and useful tool that many disciplines ranging from wildlife management to planning to agriculture to architecture all have found uses for it. Examine non-geography major students taking upper level geography classes and all but a few of them will be enrolled in GIS classes.

GIS has long been at the center of controversy; however. When it first came out to the general public some in academia decried it as a tool of the establishment. Saying that it was evil because it was first developed by the "military-industrial complex" or that it did not take into account those who would be disenfranchised. A tool, much like Microsoft Word, was declared bad. To this day some Marxist et al. geographers have attempted to reform/corrupt GIS. One of the major geographical journals just published an article on a feminist critique of GIS and how it should be more subjective to factor in feelings. (Do not ask Catholicgauze how this is to be done; somethings are beyond my comprehension)

GIS has been immune from attacks like this. Many of those who use GIS are not in academia but in the career world and have no time for post-structuralist thought. This independence can turn into isolation and secession.

There are those who worship GIS as a thing in and of itself. Some schools like Harvard only teach how to do GIS while calling it geography. Others have started Geographic Information Science programs which dedicate themselves solely of the study of GIS.

With GISc focusing only on GIS, the whole reason GIS exists, to study spatial phenomenon, is kicked out the door. When GIS is the pinacle of everything geography loses. What has happened is that many GIS users have no knowledge of geography. With a few clicks of a button a GIS jockey can describe data's distribution but cannot explain why things are the way they are. A monkey can do that work.

To continue down this road would be a disaster for both geography and GIS. If GIS goes its own route under a banner of GISc while GIS operating tools become easier to operate, a "tech schoolization" of the tool will occur. It will become something to outsource to the lowest bidder and require no thought. GIS users could become the next administrative assistants. Once touch typing abilities were highly valued, no longer. Intelligent people need not apply in this future. A split would also hurt geography. Many departments receive a large share of their funding due to work they do with GIS. Geographers need GIS to survive in this economic system. GIS needs geography to give it a special meaning no other subject can.

Geography of Denial

Countries which outlaw Holocaust Denial

I generally live by the rule of "believe what you want, just do not be a jerk about it." There is one belief that I cannot stand; however: Holocaust denial. Those who deny such a great crime against humanity, 6 million Jews and 5 million others, that has been so well documented just shocks me. It is not based on any reason but hatred towards Jews or other groups like Roma.

So instead of complaining some more I decided to do what I do best: geography. I have created a map where Holocaust denial is illegal (while I do not advocate criminalizing Holocaust denial I shed no tear). Wikipeida has a good chart on the punishment for denial in the various countries.

Only one two governments openly state the Holocaust never happened. Iran and the Hamas government of Palestine have at various times referenced the "so-called Holocaust." Besides governments many unofficial and semi-official branches of Arab governments continue to deny the Holocaust. These denials are aimed at trying to deligitimize Israel.

A weird love/hate relationship has devloped between Arabs and Nazism. On the one hand many Arabs will state Nazis were not that bad and/or the Jews had it coming. Mein Kampf continues to be a best seller in many Arab countries. However, when protesting Israel the same Arabs will say Israel is acting like the Nazis.

Elsewhere governments continue denials on other genocides. Turkey denies the extent of the Armenian, Pontus, and Assyrian genocides. Japan also refuses to recognize atrocities committed in occupy China during World War II. These denials are also due to modern-day political issues.

Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it...

Atlas of Subways

Amadeus Global Travel features a large collection of maps depicting subway systems around the world. Maps can be viewed online or downloaded into a PDF or Word document.

Catholicgauze hates the Chicago system with a passion after my infamous "Bush League" experience in Chicago. Note how on the Blue Line there are several stops with the same name on opposite ends of the city. Dang you, Chicago; dang you to heck! (Hat Tip: The Map Room)